Pre-Kaywoodie KB&B Estate Block Meerschaum Pipe, Amber Stem, American Estates

Description

KB&B, or Kaufmann Bros & Bondy, was an American pipe company established in the mid-19th century, most famous today for having created Kaywoodie. The company originally made pipes under the KB&B name, but their innovative designs and patents soon led them to market several makes under the KB&B umbrella, including Kaywoodie, Yello-Bole, and CPF.

While KB&B is today most popularly known for their briar pipes, such as the aforementioned Kaywoodie make, the company originally started, per Richard Hacker, by selling meerschaum pipes imported from Austria, along with clay pipes. This is an example of a KB&B meerschaum and, judging by the cloverleaf logo woven into its clam-shell case, it will have been made after 1881, when the trademark for the KB&B cloverleaf was issued. Judging by the amber stem and bone tenon on this one, it would look to be a turn of the century piece, especially as KB&B moved its meerschaum pipes under the Kaywoodie make as the 20th century progressed. The pipe’s smaller proportions and the shape of the button would also seem to confirm this.

The condition is excellent. I was not sure if this pipe had been smoked or not, as I was not sure if the discoloration inside the bowl had come from use or age. I’m going to put it as pre-smoked, but I’d say perhaps only once or twice.

 

Details:

Length: 5.2″ / 132.0mm

Bowl Width: 0.73 / 18.54mm

Bowl Depth: 1.2″ / 30.48mm

Weight: 1.0oz / 30g